WASHINGTON (Reuters) — U.S. President Barack Obama takes his hard line on Russia to Europe this week and will
see how far European allies are willing to go to stop Moscow from moving
deeper into Ukraine after annexing Crimea.
Obama departed Washington on Sunday night for the Netherlands, his
first stop on a four-nation trip that will include visits to
Belgium, Italy and Saudi Arabia.
In talks on Monday at The Hague with fellow leaders of the Group of
Seven industrial democracies, Obama faces a test on whether he can
bring along European allies to increase the pressure on Russia.
He has threatened U.S. sanctions against key sectors of the Russian
economy. European allies have far closer economic ties to Russia
than the United States and their still-fragile economies could face
a backlash by getting tough with Moscow.
Russia provides almost a third of the EU's gas needs and some 40
percent of the gas is shipped through Ukraine.
"Europeans are committed to do something," said Jeffrey Mankoff, a
Russian analyst at the Center for Strategic International Studies.
"I think it'll be difficult to convince them to go anywhere near
where the United States would like to go."
Russia's abrupt annexation of the Crimea region of southern Ukraine
has presented Obama with an urgent foreign policy challenge, one
that figures to weigh heavily on a second term that he prefers to
devote to domestic affairs.
Privately, there is some doubt among U.S. officials that Russian
President Vladimir Putin can be persuaded to relinquish his grip on
Crimea, where he took advantage of the ouster of pro-Moscow
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich to make a move.
While refusing to concede the loss of Crimea, Obama's goal in Europe
is to lead an effort to isolate Russia and dissuade Putin from
moving into southern or eastern Ukraine.
"Our interest is not in seeing the situation escalate and devolve
into hot conflict," White House national security adviser Susan Rice
told reporters. "Our interest is in a diplomatic resolution,
de-escalation, and obviously economic support for Ukraine, and to
the extent that it continues to be necessary, further costs imposed
on Russia for its actions."
Obama has imposed sanctions on 31 people in a campaign carefully
crafted to target Russian officials with links to Putin without
creating a backlash against U.S. businesses.
But officials said Obama is prepared to launch widespread penalties
against key sectors of Russia's economy, such as its energy
industry, should Putin move into southern or eastern Ukraine.
On Wednesday in Brussels, Obama will talk about ways to beef up NATO
with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. A speech at
Brussels' Palais des Beaux Arts will focus on the importance of the
transatlantic alliance.
"Obviously, the situation in the Ukraine will factor heavily into
his presentation. It only reinforces the need for the United States
to remain committed to a strong transatlantic alliance," said Ben
Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser.
Obama is
facing pressure from Republican lawmakers to do more to bolster NATO
allies near Russia, such as the Baltic nations, and quickly move to
stronger sanctions.
"We need to send a message to Vladimir Putin through stronger
sanctions. We need him to understand that the sanctions that we put
in place can have a significant impact on his economy, that we need
to deter further action from him," Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte
of New Hampshire told CBS' "Meet the Press."
Obama will have more on his plate than Ukraine this week. On Monday
he will join allies for a nuclear security summit at The Hague and
will sit down separately for talks with Chinese President Xi
Jinping, their first face-to-face meeting since a G20 summit in
Russia.
On Tuesday, he will participate in a three-way summit with Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korea President Park Geun-Hye to
try to defuse tensions between the Asian powerhouses ahead of an
Obama visit to Asia in April.
Obama will also discuss with European leaders on Wednesday in
Brussels a proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
agreement and joint efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement with
Iran to contain its nuclear program.
The European Union's ambassador to the United States, Joao Vale de
Almeida, said Europeans hope the U.S.-EU summit will be a "clear
restatement of the importance of our transatlantic ties."
